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The Informational Interview

The document discusses informational interviews which involve speaking to people in a career field to learn more about it. Informational interviews provide first-hand information about a career and allow you to make contacts. The document provides tips for setting up and conducting informational interviews, including preparing questions to ask.

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teresefaye
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20 views2 pages

The Informational Interview

The document discusses informational interviews which involve speaking to people in a career field to learn more about it. Informational interviews provide first-hand information about a career and allow you to make contacts. The document provides tips for setting up and conducting informational interviews, including preparing questions to ask.

Uploaded by

teresefaye
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Informational Interview

Interested in a particular career path or a specific occupation? The informational interview is


a great research tool for finding out more about a potential career choice by talking to people
in that occupation or career area. Informational interviews can be done by either talking on
the phone or meeting with a person you would like to interview. Some people may prefer to meet you
face to face.

Remember though - informational interviewing involves speaking to people who work in the field you
want to learn more about. It is not interviewing for a job.

Informational interviews can also be a great way to make valuable industry contacts.

Starting a conversation to get an information interview with a stranger is a challenge. You may feel shy,
or afraid to impose, or may be worried that the person may not want to talk to you. Before calling a
contact to interview them on the phone or make an appointment to meet them, start out by using some of
the below suggestions…

 Write out a "script" that you would be comfortable saying.


 Practice your "script" ahead of time. Think of it as a rehearsal and say the "script" until it feels
natural. Try it out on a family member or friend.
 Make sure you identify yourself and why you're calling.
 Let the person know that you need only 10 or 15 minutes of his/her time.
 Make sure it's convenient for your interview. If not, ask if you can schedule another time.

An informational interview helps you to practice your communications skills and gain
confidence for job interviews and also allows you to collect information tailor-made to your
specific needs.

 You get first-hand, real information about a career/occupation/industry.


 You can find out facts about earnings, work conditions and opportunities.
 You can see if the career/occupation matches your needs, interests and skills.
 You build your network, making contacts with people who may be able to help you in the future.
 Once you get an interview with one person, ask for names of other people you could call.

In order to leave the best impression possible, you must be prepared and act professionally.
Don't be afraid to set up these interviews; most people genuinely want to help others, especially if your
request comes across as professional, undemanding and polite.

To prepare for an informational interview, do as much research as possible about the industry
ahead of time, think of intelligent questions and rehearse what you want to discuss. Before you
phone or head out for your interview, become familiar with the contact's organization: its products,
services, competitors, etc. Also, try to gather whatever information you can about your contact. Figure
out what you want to discuss. A possible strategy might be:

 Explain why you have set up the interview - what you hope to get out of it (don't ask them for a
job)
 Provide an overview of your career goals, experience, accomplishments and skills

Quesnel Employment Services


-Office Hours: Mon. – Fri. 9:00AM – 4:30PM
Page 1
The Informational Interview

 Ask questions -- get information about trends in the industry, challenges the
organization faces, etc.
 Ask for referrals -- names of others who you may be able to speak with

During the interview, possible questions include (but should not be limited to):

1) What are the major responsibilities/duties of this position?

2) Describe a typical day in this job, what activities do you participate in?

3) Are there any less enjoyable aspects of this job?

4) What personal characteristics are required to work in this position/occupation?

5) What type of training/education/experience does your job require?

6) In the area of training/education, do you have any suggestions of how I can best prepare for this
type of work?

7) When positions become available how are they advertised?

8) Can you tell me the salary range for an entry level position, or is that confidential information?

9) Can you tell me what the typical hours of work each week are?

10) Is this type of work seasonal and if so what are the periods?

11) Can you tell me if you have hired any new employees in the last year? What were their
qualifications?

12) Do you recognize this training program? Is there another institution I should be considering?

13) What do you believe is the future outlook in this career/field?

If you get a negative response:

 Chances are, not everyone will be willing to help you, but that doesn't mean it's time to quit. Try
these responses:
 Worker: "I'm too busy right now to talk to you."
You: "Thank you for your time. Could you recommend anyone else to speak to?"

 Worker: "I'd like to help you, but I have too much work to do right now.
You: "I really appreciate your interest and I understand you're busy. Is there a more
convenient time that we could talk?"

Quesnel Employment Services


-Office Hours: Mon. – Fri. 9:00AM – 4:30PM
Page 2

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